Monday, December 27, 2010

The International Committee against Executions is calling for a week of demonstrations, from December 27, 2010 to January 3, 2011, to protest against the execution sentence of Habibollah Latifi, and the arrest of his family members and all those arrested in the past few days in Sanandaj, Iran. We call on all honorable Iranian people and people all over the world: all those who believe in unconditional freedom of speech and belief; all those who believe in freedom for all political prisoners; all those who want commutation of Habib's execution sentence and freedom of his family members and other Sanandaj arrestees; and all those who protest against the Islamic Republic's crimes, executions, and suppression; to protest with all of your power in Sanandaj, in Kurdistan, in Iran, and all over the world against these atrocities committed by the Islamic Republic of Iran against the people of Iran.

Here is what you can do: Come out and demonstrate in different countries, sign petitions, send protest letters [for example, to your governmental representatives or the UN], gather in front of Sanandaj prison where they are holding Habibollah Latifi, write graffiti in the cities of Kurdistan and other cities of Iran, go on the rooftops at nighttime and shout, "FREE POLITICAL PRISONERS!", and by all other possible means.

Habib's execution sentence should be overturned. Habib, his family members, and all Sanandaj arrestees should be freed immediately and unconditionally. All execution sentences should be cancelled, and all political prisoners should be freed immediately and unconditionally.

The week of protest
December 27, 2010 to January 3, 2011

* In protest against the sentence of execution of Habib Latifi
* For freedom of his family and all other arrestees in the city of Sanandaj
* For the release of all political prisoners
* For abolishment of capital punishment in Iran
* and in protest to the outragous execution of Ali Saremi and Ali Akbar Siadat who were executed by the Islamic murderers on December 28, 2010.

The demonstrations below have been organised by political activists and organisations. The International Committee Against Execution (ICAE) calls upon all people to participate in these actions.

List of Demonstrations
Confirmed cities as of 27 December 2010

AUSTRIA
Vienna: Tuesday December 28 – 4PM in front of the IRI embassy

BELGIUM
Brussels: Tuesday December 28 – 4PM in front of the IRI embassy

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Once again, the judicial murder apparatus of the Islamic Republic is preparing to stone a woman and a man to death.

According to the news disseminated by HRANA, Sarieh (Sarimeh) Ebaadi, 31 years old and mother of two, and Vali (Bou-Ali) Jaanfeshaani, 35 years old and father of one, are about to be stoned to death in Orumiya. The two have been imprisoned for the past two years, and have been handed down stoning sentences by the judiciary system on three different occasions.

Sarieh (Sarimeh) Ebaadi and Vali (Bou-Ali) Jaanfeshaani were arrested two years ago, were charged with adultery, and in less than 3 months, the Ordinary Court of Orumiya (Branch 3 of Western Azerbaijan court) handed down their stoning sentences. This sentence was then confirmed on January 6, 2010 by branch 12 of the Review Court of Western Azerbaijan. On August 28, 2010, the Supreme Court first upheld the verdict, but later found the case not to be based on good law and referred the judicial decision to another branch in Orumiya court. This branch upheld the stoning sentence on December 12, 2010. This inhumane, hideous sentence has been handed down despite the fact that the accused were prevented from choosing their lawyer and had not been given a chance to defend themselves in any part of the legal procedure.

The vast and intensive protests of people and general opinion across the world against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani’s stoning sentence, and against stoning in general, had forced the Islamic Republic to deny [the existence of] these sentences and their implementation, but the Islamic Republic depends on these crimes for its survival.

A regime that stones, that imprisons pregnant women and sentences them to stoning, execution, lashes and torture, should not be recognized by anyone, anywhere [as a legitimate government]. Officials of such a regime should not have a place in international organizations. They should instead be prosecuted and punished for 32 years of murder, torture, execution, stoning and lashing, for crimes against humanity.

The International Committees against Stoning and Execution call on all organizations, institutions, mass media and honourable, humanitarian people of the world to decisively protest against these heinous crimes of the Islamic Republic, and show the Islamic Republic that these crimes outrage the people of the world and will bring about their vast protests.

International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution

Saturday, December 25, 2010

A large and growing number of political prisoners in Iran face a deadly form of torture under the Islamic Republic regime: the withholding of medical treatment for serious health conditions. The International Committee against Execution calls for international pressure be exerted to pressure the Islamic Republic to release all political prisoners and allow an international delegation to assess the conditions in Iran’s prisons.

Reza Sharifi Bookani is emblematic of this burgeoning crisis. Bookani is a political prisoner in Iran who is under sentence of death as a result of his efforts to work towards human rights in Iran. In addition to being subjected to severe physical and psychological torture, the Islamic Republic is, as a form of torture, intentionally refusing to treat his severe respiratory problems.

On December 22, 2010, Bookani transmitted a message from prison to the outside world:

“Today, Wednesday, I informed the head of the medical center in prison of difficulties I have in breathing and that I cannot breath normally and am unable to tolerate this anymore. I told him, 'If you want me to die, say it, and say it frankly. I need antibiotics and a respiratory machine to help me breath. I need surgery. Either provide me with medicine and some medical treatment here or allow me to get it from outside the prison.' And their response is only silence. Not even aspirin or penicillin is available. As of now, many of the prisoners in Rajaei Shahr prison are suffering from influenza but no medicine is available to treat them. This is our condition in prison.“

Reza Sharifi Bookani, along with Hamed Rouhinejad, Mansour Osanlou, Ahmad Zeidabadi, Behrouz Javid Tehrani, Ali Saremi, Abolfazi Abedini, Kouhyar Goudarzi, and many other political prisoners are all suffering from severe and agonizing morbidities for which the Islamic regime is intentionally withholding treatment as a form of torture.

The International Committee Against Execution asks all concerned individuals to contact the UN, the European Parliament, and national governments and demand that international pressure be exerted with the goal of pressuring the Islamic Republic to release all political prisoners and allow an international delegation to visit and assess the conditions in Iran’s prisons, specifically Rajaei Shahr prison.

Friday, December 24, 2010

The International Committee Against Execution would like to draw your attention to the condition of Reza Sharifi, a political prisoner in Iran. Reza has been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Despite his health condition - severe respiratory problems - not only is he being deprived of basic medical treatment, but he is also being detained under inhumane conditions in Rajaei Shahr prison.

The following is what Reza Sharifi Bookani said about his condition, communicated from prison on December 22, 2010:

“Today, Wednesday, I checked in with the head of the medical center in prison and informed him of difficulties I have in breathing and that I cannot breath normally and am unable to tolerate this anymore. I told him, 'If you want me to die, say it, and say it frankly. I need antibiotics and a respiratory machine to help me breath. I need surgery. Either provide me with medicine and some medical treatment here or allow me to get it from outside the prison.' And their response is only silence. Not even aspirin or penicillin is available. As of now, many of the prisoners in Rajaei Shahr prison are suffering from influenza but no medicine is available to treat them. This is our condition in prison. “

Reza has respiratory disease, and the prison guards, instead of providing him with medical treatments, have imprisoned him along with five other prisoners who are also sentenced to death or life in prison, including Ali Saremi, Khaled Hardani and Saeed Masoori. They have been in prison for many years and were recently left in the prison’s hallways for days. After these prisoners threatened the guards that they would go on hunger strike, they were transferred to two rooms that are in fact solitary confinement cells but now house six prisoners.

Reza’s condition is an indication of the condition of many others whose lives are in grave danger in the prisons of the Islamic Republic of Iran -- and their numbers are increasing on a daily basis. The world must stand in defense of Iran’s political prisoners and fight against the criminals who are now ruling Iran.

The International Committee Against Execution asks all of you who oppose the death penalty, are against torture and execution, are defenders of freedom of expression and opinion, as well as all of the human rights organizations around the world, to defend Iran’s political prisoners, to help end the death penalty and torture, and in particular to ask for the immediate release of Reza Sharifi Bookani, Saeed Masoori and Ali Saremi. Please spread the news about their condition, and put pressure on international organizations to press the Islamic Republic to release all of the political prisoners and allow an international delegation to visit Iran’s prisons, specifically Rajaei Shahr prison.

The Islamic Republic has informed Habibollah Latifi’s lawyer that his execution sentence will be served on Sunday December 26. Habibollah too has been informed and moved to solitary confinement.

Agents of the Islamic Republic arrested Habibollah on October 23, 2007, and charged him with “moharebeh” and “apostasy,” and, in a hearing that lasted only a few minutes, sentenced him to death. Habibollah is 29 years old, and in the past three years has been under tremendous physical and psychological pressure, as well as all kinds of torture.

The Islamic Republic is a killing apparatus, and it now wants to take Habibollah to the gallows.

The International Committee against Execution, in these last hours left until Habibollah’s execution, calls on everyone to protest this sentence. We ask the Iranian people, and especially people of Sanandaj, to protest in every way possible to prevent Habibollah’s execution. We call on people across the world to protest against this savagery of the Islamic Republic: spread the news, and wherever possible, demonstrate in protest on Saturday, December 25th, and ask the governments to put pressure on the Islamic regime and stop this execution.

International Committee against Execution
International Committee Against Stoning
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com
0049-177-569-2413

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

* Violations of children’s and women’s rights
* Decriminalisation of domestic violence and marital rape
* Breach of the Human Rights Act and public policy

Dear friend

These are just a few examples of what is wrong with Sharia courts in Britain and elsewhere.

As you know, One Law for All is the only organisation focusing solely on challenging these medieval laws from a human rights perspective. Our campaign provides the only real alternative for decent people everywhere to stand up and be counted. And whilst a major focus of our work is to insist on equal rights, our campaign is fundamentally about the hope and demand for a society - and world - worthy of people in the 21st century.

Since our establishment in December 2008 and with your support, we have published a number of reports, been up and down the country speaking to the public on the need to stand up to Sharia and religious laws, held seminars, rallies and conferences, joined various debates, organised a free helpline, raised awareness via the arts, and advocated on behalf of those in need of assistance…

As one of our supporters has said, “it is this type of dedicated work that changes attitudes and lives.”

Given the importance of our work, we find it hard to believe how regularly requests for funding are rejected outright by foundations for being “too controversial.” More recently, funding has been refused for our bringing an amendment to the Arbitration Act, which can help to prohibit religious courts in family and civil matters as was done successfully in Ontario, Canada, outreach to MPs and Peers and for conferences and seminars, amongst other activities.

We must, therefore, continue to rely on you to help us get the job done. And I’m sure you will agree that it is a job worth doing and seeing through.

Whilst wishing you a wonderful holiday and New Year, we ask for your ongoing support in determining a different and brighter future.

Any donation, whatever you can give, will truly help.

Every penny counts.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Warmest wishes

Maryam

Maryam Namazie
Spokesperson

NOTES:

1. To donate to the crucial work of One Law for All, please either send a cheque made payable to One Law for All to BM Box 2387, London WC1N 3XX, UK or pay via Paypal.

We need regular support that we can rely on and are asking for supporters to commit to giving at least £5-10 a month via direct debit. You can find out more about how to join the 100 Club here.

4. Our next event is an evening seminar on 26 January entitled Enemies not Allies. The seminar will expose far-right and racist organisations hijacking the issue of Sharia law to promote their racist and anti-immigrant policies and the European left’s appeasement of Islamism at the expense of people’s rights and lives. Confirmed speakers at the event are: John Adams (Emeritus Professor at the University of Hertfordshire), Adam Barnett (One Law for All), Rahila Gupta (Women’s Rights Campaigner), Marieme Helie Lucas (Secularism is a Women’s Issue), Douglas Murray (Centre for Social Cohesion), Maryam Namazie (One Law for All), Shiraz Maher (International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation) and Talal Rajib (Quilliam Foundation). A report on the issue will also be published on the day. For more information and to register, click here.

5. The One Law for All Campaign was launched on 10 December 2008, International Human Rights Day, to call on the UK Government to recognise that Sharia and religious courts are arbitrary and discriminatory against women and children in particular and that citizenship and human rights are non-negotiable. To join the campaign, sign our petition here.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Press TV, an English-language television station sponsored by the Islamic Republic of Iran, broadcast a show about Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani on December 10, 2010. This broadcast is a document that, for any fair and decent human being, and any organization or institution that respects the human right and dignity,serves as the basis for a clear condemnation of the Islamic Republic of Iran. It is a document that demonstrates how morally bankrupt and desperate this regime’s propagandas have become as it attempts to defend its crimes in front of the rest of the world.

It was a show against a woman who is in prison and who was supposed to be stoned to death – a stoning execution that was stopped by international outrage and support – and who still is facing death by hanging execution. She is a woman who is deprived of any contact or communication with the world outside of prison, whose son and attorney are being held in prison, who does not have any support close at hand, and who, under these circumstances has been forced to appear in front of television cameras to make self-incriminating false confessions. Who can possibly watch this show and not see the Islamic Republic regime’s mocking and duplicitous intent, not feel disgusted and angry?

Judicial experts, the Department of Intelligence, and regime diplomats, along with the managers and producers of Press TV, have worked for months on this project. They have worked to “prove” that Sakineh is an accomplice to a murder, a prostitute who cheated on her husband; to introduce Mina Ahadi and her late husband as traitors and terrorists; to discredit Sakineh’s attorneys and question the validity of their arguments – all in an attempt to buy prestige and justify their own disgraced and deeply discredited judicial system. In fact, with this program, the Islamic Republic of Iran has bluntly confessed to its fabrication of files against defenseless prisoners, on which basis it executes and stones them. It showed how it denies basic rights for women, and how its repulsive and rotten laws work against them. It displayed its inhumane treatment of prisoners. This document was an indictment against this regime.

There was another 90-minute program that was broadcast in the Islamic Republic's Persian-language television the night before it was broadcast on Press TV – another desperate effort by the regime.

There are several important aspects of Press TV show:

1 – The show was a confession to a horrifying crime committed by the regime in 1980s. The Islamic Republic admitted that it executed Esmail Yegane-doost, Mina Ahadi’s husband. During those years, the Islamic Republic not only arrested Esmail, but also arrested hundreds of thousands of its opponents. Tens of thousands of them were tortured in medieval fashion or “tried” in minute courts.(1) From pregnant women to teenagers of ages 14 or 15, they were executed by the death squads, which even had the audacity to ask the [bereaved] families for the money the government spent on the bullets that killed their loved ones. They had neither lawyers nor did they commit a crime. The Islamic Republic charged them as terrorists and enemies of God and handed them to the death squads. As a result, Mina Ahadi and hundreds of thousands of others fled the country or took refuge in free zones in Kurdistan to continue their fight against this regime.

2 – The Islamic government has admitted that Sakineh does not have a lawyer. One of her lawyers fled the country and her other lawyer is now in prison. And while she is denied any contact with the outside world, her only great supporter, her son, is now in prison too. It demonstrated how the regime stole her file to manipulate and fabricate it to their liking, and under such circumstances forced her to confess against her will. This show tries to portray Sakineh as a cheater, a prostitute, and an accomplice to the murder of her husband, without allowing her to have any legal defense. Her son Sajjad, her lawyer Houtan Kian, and the two German reporters from das Bild newspaper also lack a lawyer to legally represent or defend them.

3 – The re-creation of the murder scene is so lame it would make an even a 10-year-old laugh. [In the show], a man named Issa Taheri calls Sakineh at home and says that he wants to come by today to kill her husband. He explains the whole murder plan over the phone and then, with Sakineh’s help, the plan is executed. The show makes no reference to the fate of the main killer, Issa Taheri.(2)

4 – As part of recreating the murder scene, Sajjad [Sakineh’s son] is forced to play the role of his deceased father; [thus, in recreating the scene, his own mother] is made to inject her son with anesthetics which, according to [the lines Sakineh is forced to mouth], is what Issa Taheri provided her. Only the regime’s criminals are capable of devising a scene so inhumane and disgusting. These scenes have been developed and produced to appeal to a European audience. We can only imagine that what this government is doing with other prisoners!

5 – The following are what constitute crimes according to the Islamic judicial system:

Sakineh’s crime: Being a woman, having an extramarital affair or relationship with another man and betraying her husband, which, in and of itself is considered prostitution, for which she was sentenced to 99 lashes and ten years in prison and then sentenced to the most heinous torture: death by stoning and being buried alive. Later, due to global pressures, when the regime could not carry out the stoning sentence [for the non-crime of adultery], they decided to steal her file from her lawyer’s office in order to fabricate evidence so they could press charges against her as an accomplice to her husband’s murder, [thus opening the door to] sentencing her to death by hanging. Their act constitutes clear evidence on how defenseless women are [before the judiciary], and how retrogressive and anti-human the rule of law is [under the Islamic Republic].

Sajjad’s crime: Contacting and communicating with Mina Ahadi, getting a lawyer to help his mother, and trying to save his mother from being stoned to death or executed by hanging.

Houtan’s crime: Making Sakineh’s file available to the media to save her from being stoned to death. His crime has made it very difficult for Islamic Republic to alter Sakineh’s file any further.

The visages of both Sajjad and Houtan convey evidence that both have been subjected to extreme mental pressure and physical torture in prison.

The two German journalists’ crimes: As tourists, traveling to Iran and talking with Sajjad and Houtan to help free Sakineh. Some officials from the regime accused them of spying but were forced to redact. Since their “crime” is contacting Mina Ahadi, Sajjad and Houtan, these two reporters are no longer allowed to contact anybody, not even their family members. They have been denied visitation rights and, for having committed their “crime,” they have been forced to make false televised confessions, have been humiliated, and have been held in prison without any official charges brought against them.

6 – Finally, this show is a confession of the fact that Press TV is not independent media but an advertising agency and mouthpiece for the regime’s propaganda, specifically its judiciary system and its intelligence service. Press TV is partner in crime with all of these agencies and is complicit in all of the crimes committed by them. This state sponsored television station’s reporters are in fact interrogators for the [judiciary] system, much like all of the Islamic Republic’s other television channels.

Considering the aforementioned facts:

1 – The International Committees Against Stoning and Execution strongly condemn this program and encourages everyone to condemn it.

2 – The Press TV show was intended to work against Sakineh, Sajjad, Sakineh’s lawyer, Mina Ahadi, the Campaign to Save Sakineh, and the media that has covered this campaign. However, not only did this show fail to achieve its goal, but it revealed the true inhumane face of the Islamic Republic of Iran to people around the globe, in even greater detail than before. The Islamic Republic of Iran did not accomplish anything [to its benefit] by this show irrespective of all of the efforts it made.

3 – The Press TV show provides a clear indication of the complete innocence of Sajjad, Houtan, and the two German journalists, and the baseless case against Sakineh. Even by relying on the evidence presented in this show, and all the allegations against them, all five of them are innocent and must be released immediately and unconditionally.

4 – According to this program, those who killed Esmail Yeganeh-Doost and thousands of other political prisoners are the same ones responsible for Sakineh’s imprisonment, flogging, and the nightmare of death by stoning. They are also responsible for the imprisonment and torture of Sajjad and Houtan, and for the abuse and imprisonment of the two German journalists. These killers must be tried and held accountable.

5 – Once again, this show reveals the inhumane nature of the Islamic Republic’s judicial system to everyone. The Islamic Republic, over its 31-year-long rule, and based on such a system, has imprisoned and/or executed tens of thousands of people, and brutally tortured hundreds of thousands others. It is based on this system that a large number of opposition activists, labor and student activists, women's rights advocates, lawyers, and believers of different religions, are put in jail, tortured, and deprived of any rights. The Press TV program is an absolute proof of the necessity of overthrowing the Islamic Republic as a terrorist and criminal government.

The International Committees against Stoning and Execution and the Campaign to Save Sakineh will continue the fight with strength and full force. The Press TV television show is a document against the scandalous regime in Iran which will be used, ever so widely, to strengthen our efforts to save Sakineh and all other detainees, and to abolish the brutal penalties of flogging, stoning to death, and executions. We call on the people of the world to join in solidarity with the Iranian people in their struggle against this medieval regime.

International Committee against Executions
International Committee against Stoning
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com 0049-177-569-2413

(1) “Minute courts” refer to perfunctory judiciary proceedings that are meant to serve as a “trial,” but in fact make a mockery of a legitimate court hearing, most obviously evidence by the fact that the proceedings last no more than a minute or two.

(2) Issa Taheri, who was convicted for the murder of Sakineh’s husband, is living free because Sakineh’s children forgave him for the crime of murdering their father.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

From the statement by WPI’s organisation in Sweden on the suicide bomb attack in Stockholm on Saturday 11 December:

A video message sent earlier to Sweden’s news agency and Secret Police (Säpo) by the suicide bomber, mentions “Sweden’s silence” over the cartoons [of Prophet Mohammed] by [artist] Lars Vilks, as well as the presence of Swedish soldiers in Afghanistan. It says the time has now come for your children, daughters and sisters to die.

There is no doubt that this is another example of Islamic terrorist acts in Europe, brutally targeting defenceless citizens. We categorically condemn such terrorist crimes. We once again stress the unconditional freedom of expression and defend Lars Vilks’ right of free expression. To stand up to this terrorism we must defend the unconditional freedom of expression and the rights of women and children in communities and families labelled as Muslim. We must defend the struggle of people to smash the reactionary Islamic movement in the Middle East and support the fight for secularism in Sweden and around the world. The hands of religion and terrorism must be kept off people’s lives!

In the wake of this terrorist attack, racist forces will no doubt try to target people labelled as Muslim, and will advocate further restrictions in rights of refugees. We strongly condemn such racist ploys. Islamic terrorism and racism feed off each other. We must stand up to both with the banner of humanity.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Conference on Apostasy, Sharia Law and Human Rights
10am, Saturday 11 December 2010
Conway Hall, London

To mark International Human Rights Day, a coalition of secular and humanist activist groups are co-sponsoring an all day conference on Apostasy, Sharia Law and Human Rights at Conway Hall. The conference will highlight urgent cases including Pakistani Asia Bibi who has received a death sentence for blasphemy, Palestinian Waleed Al-Husseini who has been arrested for criticising Islam and campaigners in Iran charged with ‘enmity against God’.

Panel discussions include International Apostasy and Religion, Ex-Muslims in Britain and Europe and Multiculturalism and Multifaithism versus Universal Human Rights. There will also be a play Masculine Laws by Ghazi Rabihavi and a comedy act by Nick Doody.

Confirmed speakers include:
John Adams, Emeritus Professor at the University of Hertfordshire
Mina Ahadi, Spokesperson of the International Committee against Stoning and Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany
Roy Brown, International Representative of International Humanist and Ethical Union
Goranka Gudelj, Outreach Coordinator of One Law for All
Rumy Hassan, Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit of the University of Sussex and Author of Multiculturalism: Some Inconvenient Truths
Marieme Helie Lucas, Algerian Sociologist and Founder of Women Living Under Muslims Laws and Secularism is a Women’s Issue
Maryam Namazie, Spokesperson of One Law for All, Iran Solidarity and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Hassan Radwan, Teacher at an Islamia school for 15 years and presently Management Committee Member of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
Gita Sahgal, Women’s Rights Campaigner; former head of Amnesty International’s Gender Unit
Hamed Abdol Samad, German-Egyptian Political Scientist and Author of Farewell to Heaven and The Collapse of the Islamic World
Terry Sanderson, President of the National Secular Society
Muriel Seltman, Campaigner of One Law for All
Alom Shaha, Science Teacher, Writer and Film Maker
Joan Smith, Writer, Columnist and Women’s Rights Campaigner
Bahram Soroush, Human Rights Campaigner
Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner
Anne Marie Waters, Spokesperson of One Law for All

Tickets are £10 for individuals; £25 for organisations and statutory bodies. To book a place at the conference, please complete the booking form found here.

The event will be dedicated to the Iran stoning case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.

Sakineh, Sajjad, Houtan and the two German journalists must be immediately and unconditionally released

The Islamic Republic of Iran has announced that it will again broadcast ‘interviews’ with Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and her son, Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, via its English language station, Press TV, today, on 10 December, International Human Rights Day. Press TV wants to supposedly broadcast Sakineh and Sajjad’s confessions under torture. Press TV hopes to respond to the wave of protests of millions of people worldwide against the Islamic regime by playing the role of interrogator.

The false news of the release of Sakineh and Sajjad was quickly broadcast worldwide on 9 December and brought with it a wave of international solidarity and euphoria. Clearly, people everywhere – the millions who protested and came to the fore - are anxiously awaiting the moment of their release and that of the two German Journalists and Sakineh’s lawyer.

By torturing its captives and dragging them on to such televised charades, the regime strives to reduce its crimes and diminish the pressure against it. However, this case has so highlighted the criminal character of this regime and its judicial system that any move by the regime and its mouthpieces only ends in exposing it even further. Today the televised charades that have taken place countless times since the establishment of the regime against political prisoners is taking place against Sakineh and Sajjad. It must be unequivocally condemned.

The International Committees against Stoning and Execution will resolutely continue the campaign to free Sakineh, Sajjad, Houtan and the two German journalists and call on people everywhere to continue their efforts. The inhuman punishments of stoning and execution must end; a regime that has been founded on such heinous crimes must be overthrown. This is the demand of the people of Iran and millions of humanitarian people across the globe.

International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution

On 8 December 2010 a delegation from the International Committees against Stoning and Execution met with European parliament and commission officials to empower an independent board of jurists to examine the court documents pertaining to the Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani case and interview Ms Ashtiani, her son, lawyer and others.

The next day, Mina Ahadi spoke at a GUE/NGL day-long conference entitled “Women's rights in Europe and the World: The strategies needed to move the women' rights agenda forward” in the European Parliament on the Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani case and the situation of women in Iran.

The ICAS and ICAE will continue to do all it can to secure the release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, her son, Lawyer and the two journalists.

International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution

On 8 December 2010, the International Committee against Stoning received reports of the impending releases of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and Sajjad Ghaderzadeh.

On 9 December photographs of Sakineh and her son Sajjad were released by Press TV (one of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s media outlets) and was picked up by a number of international agencies. These have all made it seem as if they have been released.

The report of their release, however, has not been confirmed by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

It is important to note that there has been conflicting information on this issue in the Islamic Republic of Iran’s news agencies.

Thursday, December 09, 2010

On 8 December 2010, a delegation consisting of Mina Ahadi (International Committee against Stoning), Maryam Namazie (Iran Solidarity), Bruno Malattia (Italian pro bono lawyer who had taken on Sakineh’s case) and Taher Djafarzadeh (Neda Committee Italy) had meetings with the European Parliament President's chief diplomatic advisor, Alexandre Stutzmann and the human rights advisor in the President’s cabinet, Mr Levente. They had a second meeting with Alexandra Knapton, member of the cabinet of the European Commission’s Vice President and responsible for human rights. They requested at these meetings that an independent delegation of jurists be send to Iran to investigate Sakineh Ashtiani’s case and handed all documents relating to Ms Ashtiani’s case.

On 9 December 2010, Mina Ahadi addressed a meeting in the European Parliament on the Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani case and the situation of women in Iran.

Saturday, December 04, 2010

Maryam Namazie will be speaking at the 4 December student conference of the Lord Justice Lawa Treasurer of the Inner Temple on The Role of Religion in the Law. Panellists are: Professor Mark Hill QC – expert in ecclesiastical law, Maryam Namazie – Rights activist, commentator and broadcaster, and spokesperson of One Law for All, and Ahmad Thomson – Head of Wynne Chambers specialising in Sharia Law and Co-founder of the Association of Muslim Lawyers.

The International Federation of Iranian Refugees calls upon the Greek Ministry of the Interior to immediately release Mohammad Ashrafi and other detained asylum seekers.

Mohammad Ashrafi, a renowned labour activist and a member of the Committee to Establish Free Labour Organizations, has been detained by Greek police for over 3 months, along with a number of other asylum seekers.

The Islamic Republic's security apparatus and the Information Ministry arrested Mohammad Ashrafi and a number of other labour activists in Laleh Park on May 1st, 2009. He was then sentenced to a year of suspended imprisonment.

On February 9, 2010 the security forces raided his home, arrested and detained him for a while.On June 10, 2010 , the 3 rd branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Court summoned Mohammad Ashrafi. They demanded he present himself at this court on Tuesday, June 22.

By then, Mohammad Ashrafi was well aware of the intimidation and bogus charges awaiting him, with which the judiciary apparatus had planned to silence him. In order to avoid the heavy punishments that the judiciary apparatus had planned to use to retaliate against him and other labour activists, he decided to leave the country and find a safe haven to continue his activities. He left Iran, but was arrested by the Greek border police. He has been detained for over 3 month in one of the most notorious and irregular Greek detention centres!

The Greek government is well aware of inhumane practices of the Islamic regime against its opponents. The powerful sit-in of the Iranian asylum seekers in the centre of Athens and their relentless disclosures during the action revealed the despicable covert intelligence relations and diplomacy between the Greek government and the Islamic Republic.

The International Federation of Iranian Refugees supports Mohammad Ashrafi’s fundamental right to security and asylum and demands the immediate release of this labour activist from detention by the Greek police. Asylum seekers are not criminals and should not be detained in detention camps for seeking refuge.

The Federation calls upon all human and refugee rights advocacy organizations to pressure the Greek government for its inhumane practices against asylum seekers and to immediate release Mohammad Ashrafi and other detained asylum seekers from Greek prisons.

Friday, December 03, 2010

Call for action on Saturday December 4 against the execution and stoning regime, in Iran and abroad

ICAE calls upon people in Iran to widely participate in Shahla Jehad’s memorial. And while staying in solidarity with Shahla’s family, express your despise towards the barbaric act of execution.

ICAE calls upon all people and organizations around the world who are against execution to gather in front of the embassies of Islamic Republic of Iran and city centers to strongly condemn IRI’s barbaric act of execution and to demand an end to it.
Go here for details and locations which will be added shortly.

Wednesday, December 01, 2010

They killed Shahla this morning Wednesday Dec.1 in Evin. Our hearts go for Shahla’s family and friends. Our condolences to all of you all across the world who have spent hours and days working to stop the Islamic regime of committing yet another crime.

Shahla was murdered for the crime of being a woman at the mercy of the Islamic regime at a time that they needed to murder a woman, at a time that they specially needed to murder a woman with a high profile. She otherwise had stated on the record that she had confessed under threat of a relative’s chilled being raped. She was innocent according to her case’s first examiner who was removed from the case for his assessment. She was innocent according to her lawyer who had pointed this out through filing the controversies and legal discrepancies. But none of these mattered for a “judiciary” system based on constitutional savagery and barbarism at the service of a political entity which is preserved through terror and atmosphere of fear of social proportions.

Shahla was murdered for the same reason as Delara and Atefeh and thousands other women were murdered. We will carry their memories and their stories with us to the day we together burn all gallows, and bring down the regime of terror, stoning and execution.

Our sadness gives way to rage, our grief to hatred and resolution. We promise that this gang of murderous criminals pay for killing Shahla, and each and every atrocity committed against our people. We promise that every battle to save another victim of these savages will brings our ranks closer and the glorious day of “Islamic Republic is no more” nearer.They killed Shahla this morning Wednesday December 1, 2010, in Evin. Our hearts go out to Shahla’s family and friends. Our condolences to all of you all across the world who have spent hours and days working to stop the Islamic regime from committing yet another crime.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

According to information received by the International Committee against Execution Shahla Jahed’s family and lawyer have been informed that Shahla will be executed tomorrow, Wednesday 1 December, in Evin prison. We are asking everyone to immediately voice your protest by calling, faxing and emailing your protests to the Islamic Regime’s authorities in Iran as well as their embassies abroad and to also lobby your political representatives, MPs, MEPs and UN bodies. Please do it right now to save Shahla Jahed from execution.

Her voice can be heard here:

ACT NOW!

1. Send letters of condemnation to the Islamic regime of Iran right away:

A few minutes ago, Shahla Jahed called me from Evin prison on the phone, and while thanking for all of the efforts that have been made to save her, said that she has received the execution sentence [they have given her the paper], and she is supposed to be hanged tomorrow morning. I call upon all of the people of the world, all political parties and organizations, and all of the governments, that in these moments of crisis, with all of their power, and in whatever way, try to halt this act of murder. There is little hope left to save Shahla, but it is still possible and it is our duty to prevent this from happening. Shahla did not call only to say goodbye. This, her last message, in fact is a call to us to do our utmost to save her life.

Today, Mohammad Javad Larijani, the head of human rights council in the judiciary of the Islamic Republic of Iran, announced via Press TV that there is a good chance of saving Sakineh's life. But according to existing conflicting statements from various government officials in the Islamic Republic of Iran, nobody is absolutely certain that Sakineh's life will be spared. Larijani's comments can be interpreted that there is a chance, yet the pressure on the Isamic Republic should not be reduced for a second.

The International Campaign to "Save Sakineh" started six months ago and this has prevented the Islamic Republic from being able to execute or stone Sakineh to death. Larijani has previously said that Sakineh had her weekly visits [with her children] and was not under any pressure, when in reality, Sakineh had been flogged and was being held incommunicado. In fact, Larijani lied about Sakineh’s circumstances to elevate the reputation of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Just two days before, Hojatoleslam Malek Sharif, the head of the judiciary in Eastern Azerbaijan, stressed that as soon as Sakineh's stoning case get final approval, the sentence would be served. These contradictions and confusions within the Islamic regime are caused by the pressure from the ongoing international campaign to "Save Sakineh" which must continue without interruption.

As long as the Islamic Republic has not officially overturned the sentence to execute or stone Sakineh to death, and as long as she, Sajjad, Houtan and the two German journalists have not been released from prison, the international campaign to "Save Sakineh" will continue in full force.

International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com
0049-177-569-2413

Friday, November 19, 2010

I'll be at the art exhibition's private viewing on Saturday 20 November and then be out of office for most of next week. I'll be back on 29 November.

Here is info on art exhibition:

One Law for All is pleased to present a private viewing of an art exhibition in London on 20 November 2010 from 18.30-21.30 hours in which a group of international artists address the controversial subject of religion and human rights. The exhibition includes pieces on the veil, female genital mutilation, child ‘marriage’ and women’s oppression.To RSVP your attendance for the private viewing, please send your name and telephone number to onelawforall@gmail.com. The private viewing will be held at UNIT 24 Gallery, 24 Great Guildford Street, London SE1 0FD. Our panel of judges author Polly Toynbee, singer Deeyah and secularist Terry Sanderson will select their favourite pieces for special mention at the private viewing. You can find out more about the art exhibition and artists here. The exhibition will be open to the public from 21-27 November 2010.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

To Free Sakineh, Shahla Jahed, Sajjad, Hootan and the imprisoned lawyers
To Free the two German journalists

Shahla Jahed is a young woman that the regime has decided to execute after 8 years imprisonment, on Wednesday Dec. 1. Shahla’s lawyer says that her file includes 10 legal discrepancies. Islamic Republic is at the moment incapable of executing Sakine, therefore seeks to kill Shahla to pretend that it has not surrendered to the pressure.

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is still under the nightmare of execution and stoning in prison. Her sun Sajjad and lawyer Hootan Kian too have been arrested and tortured.

The two German journalists have been accused of espionage, and under pressure and intimidation have been forced to televised confessions merely for interviewing Sajjad and Hootan . If they treat two German citizen in this way imagine what they do to Sakineh and Shahla and people of Iran.

Hootan Kiaan and Nsrin Sotoodeh and five other lawyers were arrested and imprisons in the past few weeks.

These only demonstrate a fraction of despicable behaviour of Islamic regime and it’s inhumane judiciary apparatus.

The only way, is to intensify the international protests. I invite the people of Germany who have been outraged by all these cases to protest in front of the Islamic Republics embassy and consulates and the German town centres, holding up posters of Sakineh and Shahla and Hootan and Sajjad , the two German journalists and imprisoned lawyers and demand their immediate and unconditional release, on Saturday Nov.20. Come to the streets and condemn the Islamic Republic for its barbaric deeds. Come to the streets and in solidarity with the Iranian people protest against the Islamic regime which is a source of shame for humanity.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

In tonight’s airing of news program “Eight-thirty,” the Islamic Republic’s “Seda va Sima” aired a clip of the Information Ministry obtaining “confessions” from its prisoners. In this program, Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, her son Sajjad Ghaderzadeh, her lawyer Houtan Kian and the two German journalists associated with Bild Am Sonntag magazine were forced to testify against themselves.

The two German journalists, Houtan, and Sajjad were arrested on October 10 while they were conducting an interview in Houtan Kian’s office. Sajjad and Houtan were immediately tortured and to this day have been deprived of visitation right and having solicitors. The two German journalists too remain imprisoned on charges of interviewing them!

The Islamic Republic of Iran’s goal in airing this program is to agitate public opinion against Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and Mina Ahadi, yet despite all efforts, in and of itself the program is a powerful reflection of the international campaign to save Sakineh and gives a tenacious portrayal of Mina Ahadi, her humanitarian efforts and exposes the Islamic Republic of Iran.

For the sake of clarification, it is necessary to reiterate that the two German journalists did not travel to Iran on the request of the International Committee against Execution or Mina Ahadi. These two journalists had travelled to Iran to report and to do interviews on their own volition. They contacted Mina Ahadi and asked for her assistance in contacting Sajjad, and once there, asked for Mina Ahadi’s help with interpretation.

More than anything else, the confessions of the five under pressure and torture exposes the Islamic Republic of Iran and its brutal nature.

In the past five months, under one of the most powerful international campaigns which was initiated by Mina Ahadi and the Committees against Stoning and Execution, the Islamic Republic’s officials have issued numerous contradictory announcements, but the harder they have tried, the more they have exposed themselves and the reality that is the Islamic Republic of Iran. They aimed to go ahead with the execution of Sakineh on several occasions, but the pressure of this global campaign has forced them to retreat. This recent attempt too will lead to even more indignation.

We strongly condemn the Islamic Republic for forcing prisoners to testify against themselves, and call upon the world’s citizens, organizations and international institutions to condemn the Islamic Republic and demand the immediate release of Sakineh, Sajjad, Houtan and the two German journalists, as well as all those sentenced to stoning, and expand their activities for their rescue.

International Committee against Stoning
International Committee against Execution
Nov 15, 2010

Monday, November 15, 2010

One Law for All is pleased to present a private viewing of an art exhibition in London on 20 November 2010 from 18.30-21.30 hours in which a group of international artists address the controversial subject of religion and human rights. The exhibition includes pieces on the veil, female genital mutilation, child ‘marriage’ and women’s oppression.To RSVP your attendance for the private viewing, please send your name and telephone number to onelawforall@gmail.com. The private viewing will be held at UNIT 24 Gallery, 24 Great Guildford Street, London SE1 0FD. Our panel of judges author Polly Toynbee, singer Deeyah and secularist Terry Sanderson will select their favourite pieces for special mention at the private viewing. You can find out more about the art exhibition and artists here. The exhibition will be open to the public from 21-27 November 2010.

SATURDAY 11 DECEMBER 2010 CONFERENCE ON APOSTASY, SHARIA LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS

To mark International Human Rights Day, we are co-sponsoring an all day conference on Apostasy, Sharia Law and Human Rights at Conway Hall, 25 Red Lion Square, London.

The conference will highlight urgent cases including Pakistani Asia Bibi who has received a death sentence for blasphemy, Palestinian Waleed Al-Husseini who has been arrested for criticising Islam and campaigners in Iran charged with ‘enmity against God’ and demand their unconditional and immediate release. Conference registration begins at 10.00am for 11.00am start and ends at 19.00 hours, after which there will be a social gathering at a local pub.

Panel discussions include ‘International Apostasy and Religion,’ ‘Ex-Muslims in Britain and Europe’ and ‘Multiculturalism and Multifaithism versus Universal Human Rights.’

There will also be a play ‘Masculine Laws’ by Ghazi Rabihavi and a comedy act by Nick Doody.

Confirmed speakers are:
John Adams (Emeritus Professor at the University of Hertfordshire)
Mina Ahadi (Spokesperson of the International Committee against Stoning and Council of Ex-Muslims of Germany)
Roy Brown (International Representative of International Humanist and Ethical Union)
Goranka Gudelj (Outreach Coordinator of One Law for All)
Rumy Hassan (Senior Lecturer at the Science Policy Research Unit of the University of Sussex and Author of Multiculturalism: Some Inconvenient Truths)
Marieme Helie Lucas (Algerian Sociologist and Founder of Women Living Under Muslims Laws and Secularism is a Women’s Issue)
Maryam Namazie (Spokesperson of One Law for All, Iran Solidarity and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain)
Hassan Radwan (Teacher at an Islamia school for 15 years and presently Management Committee Member of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain)
Gita Sahgal (Women’s Rights Campaigner; former head of Amnesty International’s Gender Unit suspended for questioning AI’s relations with an Islamist organisation)
Hamed Abdol Samad (German-Egyptian Political Scientist and Author of Farwell to Heaven and The Collapse of the Islamic World)
Terry Sanderson (President of the National Secular Society)
Muriel Seltman (Campaigner of One Law for All)
Alom Shaha (Science Teacher, Writer and Film Maker)
Joan Smith (Writer, Columnist and Women’s Rights Campaigner)
Bahram Soroush (Human Rights Campaigner)
Peter Tatchell (Human Rights Campaigner)
Anne Marie Waters (Spokesperson of One Law for All).

Jaavid Hutan-Kian and Sajad Qader-Zadeh are still in solitary confinement. They are both prohibited from receiving visitors, and all their families’ efforts to establish visiting rights and employ a lawyer have been met with negative responses from the prison authorities.

Up till now, several lawyers put forward by the family and friends of Hutan-Kian in particular have been rejected by the prison authorities and their legal representatives who say that they are now the lawyers acting for this case and a decision about it will be made in Tehran. This is why they say Hutan and Sajad don’t need a lawyer!

Jaavid Hutan-Kian is diabetic and suffers from high blood pressure and so far has not been able to take his medication. We have received news that Hutan is under a lot of pressure and the false accusations of many serious wrongdoings are a plot to hurt and torment him.
Hutan-Kian’s father was a well-known person in Tabriz. In the first few years of coming to power, the Islamic Republic executed him and so Hutan’s family has been deeply wounded by the regime. According to reliable news we have received, Sakineh’s son Sajad is also under pressure. He has been tortured, harmed and injured.

The Islamic Republic tries hard to prevent all contact with Sakineh, Sajad and Hutan so that there is no possibility of news reaching the public. To neutralise this conspiracy, we need to keep their plight at the forefront of the news.

Hutan and Sajad’s present situation clearly demonstrates the criminal nature of the Islamic Republic to the world. The International Committees against Stoning and Execution strongly condemn the Islamic Republic and ask everyone to object to their anti-human behaviour.
Sakineh, Sajad and Hutan, and the two German journalists arrested in connection with this story must be freed immediately and all accusations against them dropped.

International Committee Against Stoning
International Committee Against Execution
Spokesperson: Mina Ahadi minaahadi@aol.com 0049-177-569-2413

Iran: Another bus worker arrested as attacks on trade unionists intensifies
Another member of Tehran’s bus workers’ union was arrested on Tuesday 10 November. Homayoon Jaaberi was detained at the Intelligence Ministry as he was making enquiries about the situation of another colleague, Gholamhosseini, who had been detained a week earlier.

Mr Jaaberi’s computer and other items have been seized from his home. Also, his wife is reported to have been threatened to co-operate with the security officials, otherwise ‘Jaaberi will be detained indefinitely’.

Jaaberi’s arrest comes in the wake of the recent detention of two other members of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, Saeed Torabian and Gholamreza Gholamhosseini. Both were physically attacked and detained on 4th November. Torabian was later released on bail; however, Gholamhosseini is still in detention.

Two other leaders of the bus workers’ union, Mansoor Ossanlou and Ebrahim Madadi, are already serving long prison sentences for union activity. Also, Reza Shahabi, another board member, has been detained since 12 June 2010 for the same reason, without charge. Ossanlou and Shahabi are said to be suffering from a number of medical conditions.

On 8 November two members of the Follow-up Committee to Set Up Free Workers’ Organisations, by the names of Seddigh Khosravi and Ebrahim Esmaily, were arrested and are being held in an unknown location.

Meanwhile, trade unionist and human rights activist Behnam Ebrahimzadeh is being detained in Ward 350 of Evin Prison in Tehran. Behnam was recently admitted to the Prison’s clinic with a bleeding stomach, following a hunger strike in protest against his continued arbitrary detention and maltreatment.

We call on all trade unions and concerned activists and individuals around the world to protest in the strongest possible terms against these outrageous attacks by the Islamic regime on worker activists in Iran.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

You can help by publicising the cases of the jailed workers, signing the petition for their release, sending letters of protest to the Islamic Republic authorities, calling and/or joining protest actions in front of the Islamic Republic's embassies, etc.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

To Ayatollah Ejehi and other judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic:
You are fabricating a case against Sakineh Ashtiani, and you want to buy time!

Gholam-Hosein Ejehi, Attorney General and spokesman of the Islamic Republic’s Judiciary, said today, in an interview with the Iranian official news agency (IRNA), ‘we need more time and further review of the case of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani in order to come to a clear, definite conviction for her. This case is till going through legal procedures.’ He added, ‘there are two charges, or convictions, against Sakineh, the more serious of the two being the murder charge, or conviction.

In opposition to the above statements, The International Committees Against Execution and Stoning make the following statement:

1- If Sakineh’s case is still under review, why is it that she has already been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, suffered 99 lashes, and spent 5 years of her life in jail? Shouldn’t this sentence be quashed, and Sakineh and her family be compensated?

2- If, as you presently admit, Sakineh’s case needs further review, then on what basis have you already sentenced her to stoning? And, following that, why have you announced, several times and through different channels, that she has been sentenced to death? The truth is had there been an iota of justice in your whole judicial system, you would have publically apologized to Sakineh and her children, and paid a fraction of the physical and emotional harm as well as the material damage that you have caused them during these years.

3- What kind of case needs ‘more time and further review’ after 5 years? How many more years is Sakineh supposed to languish in jail, grappling with the nightmare of being hanged or stoned to death, before your review comes to a ‘clear, definite conviction for her’? Shouldn’t you free Sakineh while she awaits the completion of the review, such as you claim to be doing, especially since she has already spent 5 years in prison and endured 99 lashes for crimes not yet proven according to your own statements above?

4- Why the documents Sakineh’s lawyer, Houtan Kian, had gathered and prepared in her defense were stolen from his house- and office by your agents? You have even removed the copies of her whole dossiers from Tabriz Prison and Police archives! If you are not up to fabricating a case against her, and all you really want to do is review it further, why would you need to steal her dossiers?

5- What sort of reviewing a case requires that the defendant’s lawyer, as well as her child, be arrested, imprisoned and tortured for just defending her? What sort of reviewing a case can possibly have any validity in today’s world when it requires that the defendant be deprived of legal defense?

6- What kind of review are you doing during which you have had to force the defendant into coercively extracted confessions on national television? How many times have you and other statesmen of your regime publically presented her as a convicted murderer through various media? You have even publically denounced the international media as well as Sakineh’s international supporters as ‘defenders of a murderer’ in so many instances!

The statements you and other government officials have so far made on the case of Sakineh are clear testimonies to the fact that your court system does not bear any resemblance whatsoever to a legitimate one. Your courts, therefore, lack any legitimacy to review this or any other case.

Thanks to our efforts you and your whole Islamic legal system have been exposed to the world. You must be put on trial, if not for any other of your crimes during the past 31 years, for what you have done to Sakineh, her children and her lawyer based on your own admissions so far.

You are not busy further reviewing Sakineh’s case but fabricating one for her. You are not awaiting the clarification of the case but just buying time hoping to be relieved from the international pressure. Your shameless contradicting statements, as well as your criminal treatment of prisoners, are by now very well known to the people around the world.

The International Committees Against Execution and Stoning hereby demand that Sakineh, Sajad, Houtan and the two German journalists who were arrested while trying to investigate the case must be freed immediately. There is no justification for their imprisonment. It is, on the other hand, Ejei, Shahroudi and all other past and present judicial authorities of the regime, along with all the its leaders, who must be tried for this as well as thousands of other crimes they have committed. This anti-human judicial system must be thrown into the trash can of history together with the entire Islamic regime. This is a demand backed by millions of people in Iran and across the world.

International Committee Against Stoning (http://stopstonningnow.com)
International Committee Against Execution (http://notonemoreexecution.org)

After their semi-clothed protest in Kiev a couple of days ago in support of Sakineh Ashtiani, FEMEN activists are being interviewed by Sohaila Sharifi on NCTV live. Watch the interview in English, and at the end of the clip the summary of the interview in Farsi.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Date: 13 November 2010
Time: 2.00pm
Venue: Moordown Community Centre, Bournemouth BH9 1TW
Maryam Namazie will be speaking on Sharia Law and Women’s Rights to a meeting organised by the Dorset Humanists.

We thank all of you who helped to save Jamal from the danger of being deported to Iran and getting him out of detention in Japan. However, we wanted to inform you that Jamal urgently needs financial support.

When the Free Jamal Campaign was first informed about Jamal’s situation we contacted friends and supporters and were able to send Jamal some funds. Due to his immigration status Jamal is not allowed to work in Japan - this means he needs regular monthly financial support for his living expenses and also to be able to take legal action to get asylum in Japan or a safe 3rd country.

Thus we are calling on you good people and progressive organisations who have helped us in the campaign so far to support Jamal financially.

You can send your donations to IFIR branches or donate via paypal to
Count me in - Iran http://countmein-iran.com/donate.html

Please specifiy in all cases that the donation is for Jamal Saberi. Please also drop us a quick line at freejamalcampaign@gmail.com to let us know that you have made a donation.

Whilst Ukrainian officials were ‘ashamed’ of your display and stood firmly with the Islamic Republic of Iran’s killing machine, we, as women’s rights campaigners who have been leading the fight for an end to stoning and execution of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and others felt strongly that it was an important act in defence of women's rights and human dignity. This is particularly so given the silence of so many feminists who seem to have succumbed to the racist concept of cultural relativism that implies that women choose to live the way they are forced to. Clearly though, women everywhere want to live lives worthy of the 21st century and not under medievalism and religious rules.

Acts of real human solidarity like yours helps to further support Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani and others in her situation as well as mobilising opposition to stoning, execution and the misogyny of Sharia law.

We look forward to working closely with you from now on and know you will continue to support our efforts.

Its opponents rejoiced at the exclusion of a state that stones women to death for adultery and has one of the world's worst records on women's rights.

“They lost, and they lost handily,” said US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice.

“We've made no secret of our concern that Iran joining the board of UN Women would have been an inauspicious start to that board... It was a very good outcome.”

A British government spokesman said: “The UK strongly believes that countries on the board of UN Women should have demonstrated a firm commitment to women's rights and gender equality.”

UN Women, to be chaired by Michelle Bachelet, the former Chilean president, subsumes four smaller UN agencies dealing with women's rights and is charged with promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Of the UN's 192 member states, Iran is one of just six that has not ratified the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women.

Until last week, Iran's election had seemed a foregone conclusion despite the international outcry over Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, the Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for alleged adultery. It was one of only ten Asian countries standing for the ten seats set aside for them on the 41-member board.

Amid growing outrage, however, Western governments including the US, Canada and Australia persuaded East Timor to add its name last Thursday. That meant the 54 members of the UN's Economic and Social Council had to vote on the Asian slate yesterday. After some intense behind-the-scenes lobbying, Iran came 11th and last with just 19 votes.

It was the second such humiliation Tehran has suffered this year, with a similar US-led operation thwarting Iran's attempt to join the UN Human Rights Council in April. This week, the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation withdrew its support for World Philosophy Day in Iran, which the country will host this month.

The vote was greeted with jubilation by human rights organisations, though they were dismayed that Saudi Arabia secured a place as a donor nation.

Maryam Namazie, spokeswoman for Iran Solidarity, a campaign group, said the Ashtiani case had “knocked some sense” into voting states. “Otherwise, having Iran on UN Women would have been like putting the Vatican in charge of UN Children or the Burmese junta in charge of UN Election Monitoring.”

Marianne Mollmann, advocacy director for women's rights at Human Rights Watch, said: “We didn't want Iran to have an opportunity to whitewash their internal policies with this important position on a new UN entity.”

The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain condemns the arrest of 26 year old Palestinian internet blogger Waleed Al-Husseini by the Palestinian Authority for exercising his right to free speech.

Waleed has written on his Blog: "My criticism of Islam and its “holy” symbols is not due to a feeling of resentment or a desire to undermine and humiliate its followers, but rather to the sentiment of despair that filled me while I was watching the world fall apart before my eyes because of religion and its nonsense."

The arrest was confirmed by the Palestinian News Agency Maan on 7 November 2010 using the initials W. H. It said he was arrested in the West Bank city of Qalqilya for criticising religions and promoting atheism and has claimed Divinity on his Blog and on his Facebook page which have now been shut down. Waleed's arrest is an attack on freedom of conscience and belief. The CEMB demands his immediate and unconditional release.

Members are advised that the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain is holding a Conference from 10.00-19.00 hours and the Third Annual General Meeting from 19.00-19.20 hours on Saturday 11 December 2010 in London; a social event follows the AGM. The AGM segment of the day is only open to members.

Members are requested to RSVP their attendance by 1 December 2010.

Nomination of Board of Trustees and Motions

Those wishing to submit motions for the meeting and conference or nominations for Board of Trustee members, should do so in writing. A proposer and seconder are required for both nominations and motions, which must reach the CEMB by 1 December 2010. This date is necessary to enable preparation of the formal notices of the AGM that will be sent out in advance of the meeting.

The Board of Trustees will be elected at the AGM. Nominations of any member must be signed by a proposer and a seconder and must be signed by the person nominated to indicate that they are willing to stand for the Board. All those nominated will provide a statement of the skills they have to offer, their aims for the CEMB, and an indication of the extent to which they are prepared to undertake work as well as attending quarterly Trustee meetings in London.

Nominations and motions should be sent by email to exmuslimcouncil@gmail.com or via post to CEMB, BM Box 1919, London WC1N 3XX and arrive no later than 1 December 2010. The names of nominees, proposers and seconders should be written in block capitals, with clearly legible email addresses.

The CEMB’s annual report and financial report will be made available to members at the AGM.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

HEAD OF THE JUDICIARY
IN EAST AZERBAIJAN PROVINCE
MALEK-ASHTAR SHARIFI

SECRETARY GENERAL
HIGH COUNCIL OF HUMAN RIGHTS
MOHAMMAD JAVAD LARIJANI

Pordenone, 6 novembre 2010

International Committee against Stoning –Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani

I write on behalf of the International Committee against Stoning, which asked for my legal assistance in all the initiatives that are taking place in Europe against the stoning of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani.

The Committee I represent means to thank You and the European Parliament for the special commitment in Sakineh’s case and in Human Rights defence in Iran.

We want at the same time focus Your attention on the general climate of intimidation and threat that reigns in Iran and that puts lawyers in danger for their life or freedom, restraining them from the possibility to defend Sakineh and her family.

The Committee is confident that the European Parliament will make itself heard about these issues and will support all the actions that we mean to take to guarantee and protect not only the Right to Life of Iranian people but also their Right of Defence and to a fair trial.

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

The town council of Vénissieux, a municipality in the suburbs of Lyon (France), decided to make Sakineh Ashtiani an honorary citizen of Vénissieux.

In a ceremony on Friday 5 November the town council adopted the motion to support Sakineh Ashtiani and against stoning in Iran. The town's mayor Ms Michèle Picard wrote a letter in which she said that the motion is also for "all this girls and women who are suffering in silence" and added "Sakineh is the symbol of all the women who are victims of violence. Tens of thousands of them are every year subjected to psychological and physical torture or to stoning, their freedom and dignity are in danger every day. Their wish to resist and to live freely is strong but without the support of international solidarity their hope can be broken".

Translation of the motion :

"MOTION SAKINEH MOHAMMADI ASHTIANI - HONORARY CITIZEN

Considering the risk of stoning that Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is facing ;

Considering that the death penality should be abolished in the 58 countries where it's still being practiced;

Considering that stoning is a barbaric act, that cannot be justified by any reason, that it's a crime against humanity that should be abolished everywhere and forever ;

Considering that Sakineh is a victim of the violation of womens rights and that she is the symbol of all the women who were stoned or who are in danger of being stoned, victims of oppression, segregation and discriminations ;

Considering the wave of global solidarity that is necessary to save Sakineh and all the others who are threatened by stoning ;

The Town Council decide :

- To support actions to demand her freedom

- To support actions against stoning

- To make the commitment of the town known to its fellow citizens by all useful means: municipal publications, internet page of the town, meetings...

- To make this information known to :

--- The ambassy of Iran in France

--- Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the Republic

--- Organisations and associations who are acting for Sakinehs freedom